Information for Candidates
INDEPENDENT REMUNERATION
PANEL FOR WALES
Appointment of a Member
INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS
BACKGROUND – WHAT IS THE INDEPENDENT REMUNERATION PANEL FOR
WALES?
The Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales was appointed in January 2008 by
the then Welsh Government Minister for Social Justice and Local Government
following a public recruitment exercise. The Panel consists of:
the Chair
and four other members. Panel members are appointed for up to four years and
can be reappointed.
The Panel is independent of central and local government and was established on a
permanent basis initially to determine the range and levels of allowances payable by
county and county borough councils to their councillors and co-opted members with
voting rights.
The Local Government (Wales) Measure 2011 provided that there is to continue to
be a panel of persons known as the Independent Remuneration Panel and extended
its remit to also include community councils, National Park authorities and fire and
rescue authorities. The Panel’s remit was further extended in 2014, the Panel may
make recommendations in respect of any proposal to change the salary of the Head
of Paid Service (HoPS) and Chief Fire Officers as and when required.
MEMBERSHIP
The Panel comprises of a Chair and four other members. The Panel will appoint one
of their members as Vice-Chair. The Panel must meet at least once every calendar
month. The quorum for meetings is three and must include either the Chair or ViceChair.
PANELS ROLE – WHAT YOU WILL DO
Each year the Panel must produce an Annual Report, which sets out the type and
levels of payments that authorities may or must make available to their members and
co-opted members. The Panel is able to prescribe different amounts for different
councils. Each Annual Report must be produced by 28 February prior to the
financial year in which the report relates or such later date as the Panel and the
Welsh Ministers may agree.
The Panel will, in supplementary reports, be able to report at such other times as it
considers necessary. Through such reports the Panel will also be able to respond to
specific requests from county and county borough councils, national park authorities,
fire & rescue authorities in Wales, and community and town councils, on any matter
concerning the responsibilities and duties that may attract a senior salary, co-optees’
allowance and the actual level of all the allowances available to all councillors.
Members will be expected to meet at least once a month (i.e. at least 12 days per
year). Meetings will usually be held in Cardiff but there may be occasion when
meetings are required throughout Wales. In addition the Panel members may be
required to meet at short notice to consider any suggested changes to the salary of a
HoPS as and when required
REQUIREMENTS ON THE PANEL
In preparing its reports the Panel is required to take into account the likely financial
impact of its decisions on the authority in question. Each year, the Panel will be
required to produce an annual report, which will prescribe the actual level of
allowances.
PERSON SPECIFICATION – WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR
The skills and experiences we are looking for in members of the Panel are set out
below. When submitting your personal statement you should show how your skills
and experiences could be used in this role.
Members must:
Have a reasonable knowledge of how local government operates in Wales; have
recent experience/knowledge of local government or other related branches of
public service;
You will need to consider evidence from a wide range of sources, in order to
reach decisions which are both fair and reasonable and meet both national and
local needs. This may well include consideration of oral evidence from interested
parties
Have strong interpersonal and communication skills – be able to engage with a
ride range of people on a one to one basis and collectively
DESIRABLE SPECIFICATION
Have an appreciation of working in Welsh and English (Welsh language skills are
desirable. However, all candidates will be expected to display empathy towards
the language and support decision making to strengthen bilingual service
provision within the Commission).
You should conduct yourself at all times in a manner which will maintain confidence
in the determinations made by the Remuneration Panel and in its independence in
making those determinations
We particularly welcome applications from women, disabled people, young people
and individuals with an ethnic minority background
ELIGIBILITY
Applicants should be persons who conduct themselves at all times in a manner
which will maintain public confidence in themselves and the Panel, are politically
neutral, with no political affiliation and behave in line with the Seven Principals of
Public Life.
http://wales.gov.uk/about/recruitment/public-appointments/?lang=en
In particular applicants are required to declare whether they are aware of anything in
their private or professional life that would be an embarrassment to themselves or to
the Welsh Government if it became known in the event of appointment.
Service on the Panel is a disqualifying office for membership of the National
Assembly for Wales under the National Assembly for Wales (Disqualification) Order
2010.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2010/2969/contents/made
SECRETARIAT
Administrative support will be provided by officials of the Welsh Government, within
the Local Government Democracy Department.
TERMS OF APPOINTMENT
Appointments will be made by the Minister for Public Services. The successful
candidates will take up office on 1 January 2016 for a period of four years, which
may be renewable.
TIME COMMITTMENT
Members will be expected to meet as a minimum, once a month (i.e. at least 12 days
a year) in order to produce their annual report within the timetable requirements of
the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2011. The Panel may also be required to
meet urgently as and when required, but a commitment to regular attendance at
meetings is expected.
LOCATION OF MEETINGS
The Panel’s meetings are usually held in Cardiff, but there are occasions when
meetings are required throughout Wales.
REMUNERATION
Members will be paid £198 per day.
These positions are regarded as a holding of an office for tax and National Insurance
purposes. Fees payable will, as a result, be chargeable to tax under Schedule E of
the Taxes Act and subject to Class 1 National Insurance contributions. These
liabilities will be deducted via the Welsh Government payroll system and the net fee
paid to the office holder. Fees are not subject to VAT.
Travel and other reasonable expenses that might be incurred in carrying out work on
the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales can be claimed at rates approved by
the Welsh Government. You may also be eligible to claim reimbursement for costs
in relation to child care/care of the elderly/assistant carer, whilst carrying out work on
behalf of the Panel.
ASSISTANCE FOR MEMBERS
Every effort will be made to provide whatever reasonable support members who
have a disability need to carry out their duties.
INDUCTION TRAINING
The Chair will provide induction sessions for the success candidates.
SELECTION PROCESS
Although appointments to the Independent Remuneration Panel do not come within
the remit of the Commissioner for Public Appointments these appointments are
made using a process which takes into account the Commissioner’s Code of
Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies as best practice The Welsh
Government wants to make sure everyone has an equal chance and it welcomes
and encourages applications from all groups and we ensure that no eligible
candidate for public office receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age,
disability, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, race,
religion or belief, or pregnancy and maternity. The principles of fair and open
competition will apply and appointments will be made on merit.
Applications from groups currently under-represented including women, minority
ethnic community groups and people with a disability would be welcomed.
FURTHER INFORMATION AND QUERIES
For further information on the application process and to apply, please visit
www.wales.gov.uk/publicappointments or for queries contact the HR Helpdesk on
029 2082 5454 or email [email protected].
For further information about the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales you
may wish to visit the Panel’s Internet web site:
http://wales.gov.uk/irpwsub/home/?lang=en or contact the secretariat on 029 2080
1047.
APPLICATION
To apply you will need to submit two supporting documents. The first, a full CV and
the second a personal statement (two sides of A4) detailing your experience, how
you met the role description and person specification and how you could contribute
to the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales. The two documents should be
uploaded to the “Attach Supplementary Documents” section of the online application
form.
Applications may be made in Welsh or English.
We hope you will find the on-line process simple to follow but we recognise that not
everyone will be able to use it because of accessibility issues. We would strongly
encourage you to make your application on-line but if you are unable to do so please
contact the HR Helpdesk on 029 2082 5454 who will be able to provide a copy of the
application pack in an alternative format.
CLOSING DATE
The closing date for applications is 21 April 2015. Application forms received after
this date will not be considered.